The Short Message Peer to Peer (SMPP) protocol is a known protocol designed and utilized to facilitate communications of short messages between a short message center, such as a Short Message Service Center (SMSC) and an application platform external to the SMS network, such as a WAP proxy server, email gateway or other non-mobile messaging gateway. Such external application systems are known as External Short Messaging Entities (ESMEs). SMPP enables an ESME outside the mobile network to interface with an SMSC and thereby communicate with SMS-capable mobile devices.
SMPP v3.4, which is designed to be compatible with future versions of the specification, presently defines the SMPP protocol. SMPP v3.4 is available through the Internet at www.smsforum.net.
As fully explained therein, SMPP supports many wireless network technologies such as GSM, IS-95 (CDMA), ANSI-136 (TDMA) and iDEN.
SMPP is a packet-based protocol. More particularly, ESMEs and SMSCs that use SMPP communicate through packets known as protocol data units (“PDUs”). PDUs are utilized to define the session state of communications between an ESME and SMSC (e.g., whether an “open” communication channel exists between the devices). Additionally, PDUs transport requests relating to messaging between the devices. For example, certain predefined requests are utilized to send short messages to and from an ESME, replace or cancel short messages and query the status of the short message in the SMS network.
The application layer of the SMPP protocol may be either a TCP/IP or X.25 network connection. Thus, the SMPP protocol resides on either a TCP/IP or X.25 network connection between an SMSC and an ESME.
The SMPP protocol is utilized to implement third party value-added applications such as voice mail alerts; paging services; information services, e.g., information from a world wide web site that is displayed as a short message on the handset; vehicle management and location services; house-hold metering applications; and WAP-based information services. Third party providers of value added SMS services require an interface with the SMSC in order to send and receive the necessary information via SMS. The physical interface between an ESME and an SMSC may include a direct or hub connection (via X.25 or TCP/IP) to the SMPP.
FIG. 1 illustrates known SMPP connections between a plurality of ESMEs (102, 104, 106, 108, 110 and 112) and multiple SMSCs (120, 122 and 124). ESME WAP server 102, ESME voice mail system (VMS) 104 and ESME email gateway 106 are each directly connected to SMSC 120. In the example of FIG. 1, the secure connection between the ESMEs and SMSC 120 are provided by TCP/IP (for ESME WAP server 102 and ESME email gateway 106) and X.25 (for ESME voice mail system 104). As further illustrated in FIG. 1 the arrows between the respective devices logically illustrate the general flow of information. Thus, the arrow traveling from ESME voice mail system 104 to SMSC 120 indicates a one way flow of messages from the voice mail system to the SMSC for purposes of notifying SMS user 126 that a voice mail is pending and awaiting retrieval. The illustration of two arrows traveling in opposite directions between ESME WAP server 102 and SMSC 120 indicates two way information flow whereby SMS user 126 can send and receive information to and from the Internet utilizing SMS.
FIG. 1 further illustrates additional ESME devices (ESME vehicle location application 108, ESME household metering application 110 and paging service 112) that are similarly connected to additional SMSCs (122 and 124) of the wireless network.
In each connection illustrated in FIG. 1, a direct connection between the various ESMEs and an SMSC is required. The ESMEs are typically owned and operated by third party vendors who are not affiliated with the wireless carrier, i.e., the ESME operator is not under the operational control of the owner and operator of the SMSCs.
It has come to be realized that there are many disadvantages associated with allowing third party direct connections to an SMSC. For example, while SMPP provides for simple password authentication to allow an SMSC to authenticate attempted communication by an ESME, once authentication is verified, the entire SMS network may be accessible to the third party vendor. This may present security problems in the absence of additional security provisions.
Additionally, multiple ESMEs must often compete for the resources of a single SMSC to which they are all connected. As a result, the SMSCs are often forced to drop their connection with the ESME, route the communication to other available SMSCs, or place the communication in a queue until the SMSC is again available. All of these steps drain the resources of the SMSC and degrade its performance.
Additionally, the SMSCs are required to perform billing tasks and maintain billing data so that the third party vendors can later be charged for their use of the SMS networks. This functionally detracts the SMSC from its main purpose, namely, receiving, routing and sending SMS messages to and from their intended destination. Thus, overall system performance is degraded.
Accordingly, what is desired is a system and method for the centralization of communications between multiple ESMEs and one or more SMSCs to thereby provide a single point of access for the multiple ESMEs and to off-load tasks currently performed by the respective SMSCs to the single point of access.